New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
IANnNARKs OF PROGRESS.

LANDMARKS OF PROGRESS.
TIE DAWN OF THE NINETEENTH /, CENTURY IN
IsuroS With IA Illustrations drawn by the author
from contemporary engravings svo PIP. 40 "
p. Putnams soma
Mr.. Ashton has compiled many antiquarian
socks that be now experiences a difficulty in
avoiding already published matter when he wish
es further to illustrate particular period but tne
world advances SO swiftly now that oven two
thirds of q century carries us toto what seems
kind of bsrbarism and so unfamiliar are the haptS
and customs of that time that 1t is scarcely posi-
ble for pnblisher to err on the side of dElness IN
bringing together any such "reminiscences no
dawn of the nineteenth century found England III
what mn,t to-day be considered very primhVo
state For 1t was before the era OF railroads. teie
graphs, gas steam postal facilities. Inc s"rtes'
vehicle was the mail coach The poor travelled
hen they travelled at all, which was seldom by
the wagon, and of al, monstrous clumsy, slow con-
Germs. the wagon of that period was the climax
The tires of its wheels were foot broad, 80 that
they would take the better hold of the road s.rad-
die the deep ruts and sink little as might De nto
the many quagmres and puddles lweh.y-io".
hours were consumed in travelling dIstahoo VI
thirty-fve miles sometimes, even by COACH hleu'
waymen still infested the open heaths ana COM
mons in the neighborhOod or London ana other
considerable cities And what small population
that of Great Britain was at the beginning OF tne
century. England, Walcs and Scotland together
had only 1O,5OO,000 inhabitants, or less than the
present population of the territory OF single
Indian native Prince, the Nizam OF Hyderapaa
Ireland showed 5,216.331, and here the chanse mas
been less remarkable. owing mainly to the emigra
ton during the century OF as many people DO 'n0
whole nation numbered in 1SCO
London was, of course. great city them but the
neonle had few conveuiences and fewer comforts.
There was no system Of drainage or paving or lighT
ing. There was no general water supply There
was no police force. Badly paved or unpaved and
ill.lighted or dark streets afforded ample oppor-
tunity fol- footpads, and since the Charles or
watcnmen all of whom were appointed az III ap-
rears principally because they were decroplt, were
tho sole guardians Of the night 1t may be con-
ceived thai the belated citizen had to depend
upon his own prowess for safe homecoming Inc
only police was that of Bow Street. and that was
virtually detective force aud numbered but lev
mer For handling a mob II was useless anu
whenever riots occurred-which was by no means
ssldom-the military had to be called out. though
often action was 80 tardy that all the mischief was
done before relief arrived. 1t not very pleas
ant time for the common people. The conquests Oh
NAPOLEON had eliminated in threats OF invasion
which seemed to be gwen tangible form Dy tho
formidable preparations at Boulogne and by the
encampment there of the prenatui ely named
sArmy of England" The press was never more
active. There was no security for either seamen
or landsmen in or near the principal ports, anu
evan merchaut captains and chief mates were some-
times seized by tho oDnivorous prcss gang. Once
in their clutches there little chance OF rectify-
ing any tlunder The captives usually with oroken
heads and bruised limbs, were flung into the
tender and there guarded like condemned Icons
In few days they were drafted OIL into vessels
bound on active service, and once before the mast
the able or ordinary seaman dared not accost
quarterback officer save at the imminent risk Oh
being t-iced up at the gratings and receiving a
couple OF dozen lashes from the cato -ninetalIs'
When one thinks of the methods by which the
British Navy was recruited In tnose uays l.S
efficiency appears a marvel Doubtless race pug
nacity had much to do with it, but occasionally
outbreaks occurred which showed how great the
tension really was Such was the mutny at The
More aud Others at a later date. Such was the
case. employed by Tennyson, of a man-of-war
whose crew. long outraged by the crdety OF their
captain sailed her into action with French
frgate, and wnen the enemy came WITHIN range
calmly folded their arms and refused to nre
gun Nevertheless Nelson Trafalgar with
pressed men and England swept the Channel with
the raine kind of crews.
The army was not so bad, though then fiogglng
was common, and the severity OF the military
fentepces was fearful Three hundred lashes az
the trangles was not uncommon punishment,
and several deaths under the cat are known 10
have occurred. In simple truth 1t may he said that
English soldiers aud sailors at the beginning Ct the
century received more consideration thah
Russian serfs obtained of old. Tho barriers be-
tha prp W
high; the present social condition of England as
compared with the past is democracy unac utter
ated Then the fear OF invasion slenced all ren.on-
strances against excessive discipline. The fear was
ZOO real and appeared well founded to leave room
for any but military considerations. The volunteer
force was prodi gious. 1t may not have been capa-
BILE Of withstandny the veterans nj Napoleon hau
they ever landed. for it boosted little training
But it was certainly foil of spirit and it embraced
n large percentage Of perhaps the most oonbat'e
and dogged people on the earth; people, too VINO
were worked up to a height oil excitement anu
desperation by the apprehension OF ruin TO their
bearths as we'll as their liberties. They would
have fought s.ubbornly beyond question, but 1t
was fortunate for them that the " Army OF Eng
land never set foot on the island.
1t was a great tine for smugslers as well as vol
uuteers Taxes were so high that popular ethics
had become ADAPTED to the exigency, and scarce
any one held it sinful to cheat the excise In many
instances pillars of the churches were deeply EN-
gagsd in smuggling enterr rises, and sometimes
even magistrates held interests in these ventures
while the common people were to man on the
side of the smugglers and hostile to the excisemen
Every fisherman was q potential smuggler, and
such an elaborate system Of articles and conceal
nents grew up that the business was extremely
profitable. At one time it was estimated that II an
ordinary smuggling vessel made one successful trip
in three she would more than pay for herself. or
course there was plenty of bribery. The pre-
yentive men were paid to be blind and deaf, and
they earned their money.
Justice was still bloody minded. 1t is lard to
realize that in this century men were condemned to